The Bet
by TragediesPainfulKiss
Summary: "If you were really Slytherin you would be happy for a chance to prove that Gryffindor is inferior." "If you agree to the experiment, I will give 300 points to Slytherin if you still find that your houses ways are best. And if you fail to do so, I will not give the points to Gryffindor. If you lose, per say, there will be no ramifications. This is a consequence free bet."
1. Chapter 1

An Order meeting had just ended and Sirius had just riled up Snape again by mentioning that Slytherin's were all in-breeding assholes.

"And all you Gryffindor's are arrogant and reckless." Snape spat back, turning to leave.

"You can't say that!" Sirius argued. "You've never even really experienced our ways!"

"You-" Snape began, eyes narrowed.

"Don't even say that I don't know what Slytherin ways are! I grew up in it!" Sirius was smug. "That's how I know Gryffindor is better! That's how I can say this!"

"I don't need to experience-"

Sirius cut him off, knowing where Snape was going with this. "'You don't need to experience a certain lifestyle to know its wrong."' Sirius quoted, mimicking the voice of Elrod (A leader in the Slytherin cult.)

"Elrod knows what's best." Snape hissed, anger in his face. But Sirius knew enough to know that Severus hated the control that life brought, just as much as Sirius had. Sirius knew it was one of the reasons he was so angry and upset all the time. Sirius had been too, until school had started. Once he had been immersed in Gryffindor ways, he had found happiness. He had disowned Slytherin ways completely then. He had spent the rest of his days trying as hard as he could to get disowned.

"Yeah. And when he was screaming at you for being a half-blood and beating you senseless for no reason other than 'to keep your half-filthy muddy blood inline', that was for the best?" Sirius mocked. "Or how all the Elders made sure to downplay your work, though it got world-wide recognition from everyone else, because it was made by your muddy-blood?" Sirius smirked smugly at the doubt in Snape's eyes. Though no one else could see it, he could. "Why don't YOU decide for YOURSELF what's good? I know you hate it as much as I did. The control...no freedom...but you don't know anything else..you think this is all normal."

"It is normal!" Snape hissed.

"Severus," Albus looked bemused, and also calculating, "Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, Beauxbatons...all live a very similar lifestyle...but then there is the Slytherins and Durmstrang who have the church to lead them. While 'normal' is a relative term..." Albus trailed off, his point already made. "You one of the smartest men in the Wizarding world, and muggle world. Surely you've heard of brain-washing and cults."

"Al-"

Albus cut him off with a polite hand. "And I am almost certain you know of Stockholm syndrome, and how the sufferer never really recognizes that he is afflicted."

"Just because a lifestyle is accepted, doesn't mean it is correct." Snape argued, angry at the holes being poked in his logic.

"When one is growing up in a volatile environment, one grows up angry."

"Slytherin life isn't volatile..."

"Liar." Sirius called him out, and Severus was silent- likely trying to rack his mind for a counter-argument.

"You can't prove anything." Snape muttered the same argument all his people used.

"Severus, but there is a way to prove he is correct." Albus smiled. "If Sirius would be willing to introduce you to Gryffindor culture, you could see for yourself. And who better than Mr. Black, who had James and Remus do the same for him?"

"No." Snape spat, his face red.

"Because you know you're wrong!" Sirius argued. "You claim to be smart, but you won't even participate in an experiment." Sirius changed tactics. "If you were really Slytherin you would be happy for a chance to prove that Gryffindor is inferior."

"If you agree to the experiment, I will give 300 points to Slytherin if you still find that your houses ways are best. And if you fail to do so, I will not give the points to Gryffindor. If you lose, per say, there will be no ramifications. This is a consequence free bet." ALbus shook his head. "Actually, I like to think of it as a learning experience."


	2. Chapter 2

"Fine. I'll do it. To prove a point!" Severus nodded with more confidence then he felt. "The 300 points will do well to help my house out. It will even out the playing field." With a look of disdain he looked at Albus. "What are the terms?"

"Mr. Black, what would you consider a fair amount of time for said experiment?" Albus asked, his bemused expression angering Severus.

"All it took was an hour at the Gryffindor table." Black answered. "And I was hooked. But I guess if we can't exactly recreate the sorting, I'd say three weeks. Just so I have time to figure out things as I go along."

"Three weeks, for term one." Albus nodded. "Any other things of note?"

"All bets are off if he doesn't try." Sirius hastily added.

"I will try reasonable things." Severus added. "And this is not to be broadcasted to the whole world." He finished, giving a pointed look at the children in the room.

Albus nodded. "I think we have made an arrangement. Perhaps you'd like to shake on it?"

Severus narrowed his eyes. "I want him to make a Slytherin oath."

"Fine." Sirius spat. "We'll do both."

Severus glowered and shook the hand before putting a hand to his heart. Black followed suite. "I pledge myself to fulfill the terms of this agreement, putting my honor on line should I fail to follow through." They spoke in unison, finishing with a glare.

00000000000oooooooooooooooooooooooo00000000000000000000

"Why'd you go and do that for?" Harry demanded, shock on his face as he questioned Sirius.

"That's 300 points!" Ron added, horror on his face. "And if they find out it was you who did this, they'll blame Harry!"

"Yes." Sirius nodded. "It is 300 points. 300 points for us! Do you honestly think Slytherin beats Gryffindor?"

"I can't wait to see how Snape reacts when he loses." The twins grinned evilly.

"He'll be meaner than ever!" Ginny gasped, turning the twins's smiles to frowns.

"No." Hermione looked up from her book. "Maybe this is a good thing. After all, Dumbledore DID endorse it."

"Why would he do that?" Harry wondered.

"For the points." Sirius was certain of it.

"No. I think it's because he knows he's right. Dumbledore knows that people are happier in Gryffindor. He wants Professor Snape to see that."

"Yeah, and when he does he'll just be angrier at being wrong." Ron argued.

"Maybe Dumbledore is hoping he'll see just how cult-like Slytherin is and he'll slowly figure out that that the things they teach, like hate and prejudice, aren't good values to have. And that maybe Professor Snape will start to wonder, and eventually search for, values that are truly good. Eventually figuring out that the good values are displayed in Gryffindor, leading him to stop being so unfair to them and the rest of the houses." Hermione looked sure. "Of course, it might take a while. That is if he is willing to admit he was wrong and change. He seems to proud to ask for help, to me."

"Are you a psychologist now?" Ron asked, teasing what Sirius was sure was his future-wife.

"Well, even if he doesn't ask for help, it doesn't mean he won't get it." Remus said, sitting up on Sirius's couch. "If we forcefully help him...it'll be good not only for him but for everyone else." Remus gave Sirius a sharp look. "Which means you actually have to try really hard to help and not just prove a point. I'll tag along to make sure you do...that and Albus made me promise to make sure you two don't kill each other."

"Fine. You may be doing it to satisfy your sensitive nurturing side," Sirius teased, "But I'm doing it for the points."

"I hope this is a learning experience for you too." Remus muttered, rolling his eyes.

"What does that mean?" Sirius demanded. "I don't need to learn anything!"

"You do." Hermione insisted. "Albus intends for you to see that you and Professor Snape aren't so different. And that your bias toward Slytherin, while somewhat warranted, is just the same as Slytherin bias toward Gryffindor- also somewhat warranted."

"And you call yourself a lion..." Sirius tutted, laughing as the girl rolled her eyes.

"Hey, don't roll your eyes at her." Ron laughed. "She's really clever."

"Oh, just ask her out already." Sirius retorted, causing the whole room to erupt in laughter as the redhead turned purple with embarrassment.


End file.
